Safety device for wringers



Oct. 8, 1940. l wyl.` KAuFr-'MAN, 2D 2,216,745

SAFETY DEVICE Fon waINGERs l Filed March 17, 193'? 2 Sheets-Sheet l 47a 48 4a 4 /4 45 I /a /Z 47 4 8 'i e,

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IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Oct. 8.. l940 w. |.A KAUFFMAN. 2D

SAFETY DEVICE FOR' WRINGERS 2 Smets-Shen 2 Filed March 1,7, 193'? INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 8, 1940 SAFETY DEVICE FOR WRINGERS Walter L. Kauffman, II, Erie, Pa., -assig'nor'to Lovell Manufacturing Company, Erie, corporation of Pennsylvania Pa., a

Application March 17, 1937, Serial N0. 131,331

KCl. rss-253) 7 Claims.

It has been common to provide wringers with safety devices. These include devices for releasing thepressure on the rolls and devices for stopping the rolls. The present invention is directed to safety devices and in some of its aspects involves both the means for releasing pressure and for stopping the rolls. One of the objects of the invention is to form these safety devices so that theymay be effective with the least possible o effort. This is important in that these devices are usually operated under panic conditions and anything that adds to the effrt detracts from the safety with which the device operates. The present device is very sensitive in this respect, so much so that it is referred to as the touch control. In the preferred form a common trip mechanism of touch sensitiveness releases both the pressure and stops the rolls.

The invention also involves specific features '20 for improvements in the actuating mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings as follows:

Fig. 1 shows a front elevation ofthe wringer. v Fig. 2 an end view of the wringer partly broken away to better show construction. Fig. 3 anelevation of an end of the wringer partly broken away to better show construction.

Fig. 4 a section on the line 4--4 in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 a top view of one end of the wringer. Fig. 6 a plan view of a portion of the reversing gear showing the parts in neutral.

Fig. 7 a similar view with the parts engaged. Fig. 8 an elevation of the wringer in pressure release position, the water-board being removed to better show construction. Fig. 9 a section on the line 9-9 in Fig. 4. Fig. 10 aperspective view of a latch lever. Fig. 11 an end view, broken away and partly in section, of the driving end of the wringer.

The wringer frame comprises a base I, side stiles 2, 2, lower and upper rolls 3 and 4 respectively. The lower roll is provided withl a shaft 5 which operates in bearings 6, these bearings being placed in the side stiles. 'I'he upperroll has a shaft 'l and is provided with bearings 8 which are slidingly mounted in the side stiles. A spring by means of which the spring pressure may be varied. One end of the top bar `is hinged at I2 on a gear case I3, the topbar forming the cover of the gear case. The opposite end of t e top bar is provided with a resetting mechanism `f toggle lever form comprising a lever I4 pivoted at I5 on the top bar and a link I8 pivotally connected to the lever I4 at I1 and tox the wringer at I8.

as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is unstable, that is to say, unless it is retained in the set position it will fly open Linder the pressure of the spring 9. This 20 is because the pivots I5, I8 and Il are slightly out of alignment, the link being slightly in the release direction from neutral;

The lower end of the lever I4 is provided with a hook I9 and this is engaged by a hook 2I on a latch 20. The latch 20 is pivotally mounted on a pinv 22 in the base. A spring 23 operating on the opposite end of the latch from the hook tends to depress the hookand retain it in engagement and also to automatically crowd the hook' into engaging position when the lever is depressed. This hook is subjected to very little pressure by the lever I4 for the reason that the link pivots are very nearly in alignment, as near in alignment as it is practical to go and retain unstable conditions so that a release movement will happen when the lever is released.

The latch 20 is actuated by rock arm 24 which is carried by a rock shaft 25 extending across the base. The rock shaft is pivotally mounted in ears 26 arranged on the base. Rock arms 21 are arranged at each end of the rock shaft and are in position to be actuated by trip members 28 these trip members extending through openings 45 29'in the sides 30 of a water-board 3I. The trip members are pivoted onthe water-board by pins ft2-extending across the sides from wall to wall in the sides. These touch members close the opening 29 and are in convenient position to be operated and do not mar the appearance of the wringer-front. It will be understood that this operating mechanism is duplicated at the front and rear of the wringer. A release is effected by touching any one of the four trip members 28. The depression of the trip member communicates movement through the rock arms 21, rock shaft 25, and rock arms 24 to the latch 20 so as to release the pressure device.

The drive shaft extends into bearings 33 in the gear box frame or case I3. A usual supporting post 34 carries the gear box frame. A drive shaft 35 extends through the post and is fixed with a drive gear 36. The gear 36 meshes with reversing gears 31. The reversing gears 31 are journaled on the shaft 5. The faces of the gears 31 are provided with clutch detents 38 adapted to engage detents 39'on a reversing block 40. The reversing block is slidingly mounted on the shaft 5 between the gears 31 and is locked against rotation on the shaft, spline and groove mechanism 4I. The block is provided with an annular groove 42 which receives trunnions 43 extending from the forked end 44 of a lever 45. The lever is pivoted on a rod 46 secured in the gear box. The upper end of the lever is provided with a handle 45a whichnormally extends above the top bar.

A retaining finger 48 isvcarriedA by a trip lever 49, the trip lever being pivoted in the case by pins 5D. The trip lever has an extending lever arm 5I giving to the lever a bell crank form, and this arm 5| extends above the end of a latch plate 52. The latch plate is pivotally mounted on a pin 53 in the base and is in the path of rock arms 55 on the rock shafts 25.

When the handle 45a is shifted the reversing block 40 is thrown into engagement and locked in this engagement by means of the trip finger 48 which, when the lever is swung to driving position, swings into the path of the lever and locks it, the lever 49 swinging forward by gravity. Springs 41 are secured to the lever 45, these springs being secured to the lever and to ears 41a onthe case andtending to hold the lever in its neutral position. When the inner end of the trip lever 52 is depressed it lifts the outer end of this lever, thus raising the end 5l of the trip lever 49 and withdrawing the finger 48 which permits the springs 41 to swing the lever 45 to neutral position and thus disengage the clutch. A spring 54 may be provided to depress the outer end of the trip plate 52. Thus there is a mere withdrawal of the latch formed by the nger 48 to effect a disengagement of the clutch. It will be understood that the rock arm 55 being on the rock shaft 25 is tripped each time one of the four trip members 28 are actuated.

'I'he levers and trip members are related so that with an initial downward movement of a trip member, the rock arm 55 engages the trip plate 52 and withdraws the finger 48 to stop the rolls and a further depressing of the trip member 28 operates the'iatch and effects the release of pressure, these positions being shown in Fig. 11. It will be understood, however, that either sequence may be arranged, or the releases may be made simultaneously by 4merely adjusting the interconnecting parts.

While I have shown the top bar With its hinge otfset from the stile and'forming a covering for the gear case, I do not claim these features in this application. These features are shown and are the subject of claims in my applications 131,335 and 131,338, filed March 17, 1937, entitled Wringer mechanism" and Wringers, respectively.

-What I claim as new is:

1. In a wringer, the combination of a frame; rolls mounted in the frame; means exerting pressure on the rolls; a gear mechanism driving a roll; an unstable release device for the pressure means; a retaining device retaining the release device in set position; an unstable setting device for the gear mechanism tending to release the mechanism when the device is released; a retaining device retaining the setting device in set position; trip mechanisms at the front and rear of the Wringer each effecting the release of both retaining devices, comprising a rock shaft extending along and lengthwise of the frame and operating connections at the ends of thewririger between the shaft and the retaining devices; and trip members actuating the rock shaft, said trip members being exposed to manual pressure alone and through such pressure effecting a release.

2. In a wringer, the combination of a frame; rolls mounted in the frame; means exerting pressure on the rolls; a gear mechanism driving a roll; an unstable release device for the pressure means; a'retaining device retaining the release device in set position; an unstable setting device for the gear mechanism tending to release the mechanism when the device is released; a retaining device retaining the setting device in set position; trip mechanisms at the front and rear of the wringer each effecting the release of both retaining devices, comprising a rock shaft extending along and lengthwise of the frame and operating connections at the ends of the wringer between the shaft and the retaining devices; and trip members at different points on the rock shaft, f said trip members being exposed to manual pressure alone, and through such pressure effecting a release.

3. In a wringer, the combination of a frame; rolls mounted in the frame; means exerting pressure on therolls; a gear mechanism driving a rollsan unstable release device forthe pressure means; `a retaining device retaining the release device in set position; an unstable setting device for the gear mechanism tending to release the mechanism when the device is released; a retaining device retaining the setting device in set position; trip mechanisms at the front and rear of the wringer each effecting the release `of both retaining devices, comprising a` rock shaft Aextending along and lengthwise of the frame and operating connections at the ends of the wringer between the shaft and the retaining devices; and trip members operating on the rock shaft at the ends of the wringer, said trip members being exposed to manual pressure alone, and through such pressure effecting a release. f

4. In a wringer, the combination of a frame; rolls mounted in the frame; means exerting pressure on the rolls; a gear mechanism driving a roll; an unstable release device for the pressure means; a retaining device retaining the release device in set position; an unstable setting device for the gear mechanism tending to release the mechanism when the device is released; a retaining device retaining the setting device in set position; trip mechanisms at the front and rear of the wringer each effecting the release of both retaining devices, comprising a rock shaft extending along and lengthwise of theframe and roll; an unstable release'device for the pressure l means; a retaining device retaining therelease device in set position; an unstable setting device for the gear mechanism tending to release the mechanism when the device is released; a retaining device retaining the setting device in set position; trip mechanisms at the front and rear Y of the wringer each effecting the release of both retaining devices, comprising a rock shaft extending along and lengthwise of the Wringer and operating connections between the shaft and the retaining devices; awat'er-board along the front of the wringer and below the bite of the rolls guarding the rock shaft from theaction of the clothes; and trip members extending through `the sides of the water-board operating therock shaft.

6. In a'wringer, the combination of a frame; rolls mounted in the frame; means exerting pressure on the rolls; a gear mechanism driving a roll; a safety device for the -wringer; a rock shaft extending along and lengthwise of the Wringer and having an actuating connectionat the end of the wringer controlling the safety device;V a water.

board extending along the front of the wringer and belowl the bite of the rolls guarding the rock shaft from the action of the clothes; and a trip member at an end of the wringer for actuating the rock shaft.

'7. In awringer, the combinationof a frame; rolls mounted in -the frame; means exerting pressure on the rolls; a gear mechanism 'driving a roll; a safety device for the wringer; a rock shaft extending along and lengthwise of the wringer and having an actuating connection at the end of the wringer controlling the safety device; a waterboard extending along the front of the wringer and below the bite of the rolls guarding the rock shaft; and a trip member a't an end of the wringer for actuating the rock shaft, the water-board 

